Nigeria has one of the highest maternal death rates globally, with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) accounting for 26% of these deaths. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its recommendations on uterotonics for PPH prevention, introducing heat-stable carbetocin as a new option, especially beneficial where the quality of oxytocin is uncertain.
In 2020, the Smiles for Mothers (SfM) project was launched, led by SCIDaR, in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Co-creation Hub (CcHUB), and supported with funding from MSD for Mothers. SfM collaborated with the Nigerian government and three focus states – Lagos, Kano, and Niger- to develop interventions to reduce PPH-related deaths, including the introduction of heat-stable carbetocin (HSC).
Over the last three years, SfM has supported these states to implement WHO’s PPH prevention recommendations, scale-up to other states, and plan for increased use of tranexamic acid (TXA) for PPH treatment. SfM has shared its experiences through webinars, playbooks, and direct engagements with other states.
In the next four years, SfM in collaboration with the FMoH, and with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) will implement a comprehensive PPH bundle across Nigeria, focusing on prevention, early detection, and treatment, starting with a phased rollout to 16 states beginning in August 2024.
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